Trần Thị Dung
Encyclopedia
Mother of the Nation Lady Linh Từ (Vietnamese
: Linh Từ Quốc mẫu, Hán tự: 靈慈國母) Trần Thị Dung (?–1259) was the last empress and the last empress mother of the Lý Dynasty
. She was entitled by the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông as Empress Consort of the Lý Dynasty from 1216 to 1225 before becoming Empress Mother of the Lý Dynasty when her daughter Lý Phật Kim was enthroned as Lý Chiêu Hoàng
in 1225. After Trần Thủ Độ, Trần Thị Dung's cousin, successfully overthrew the Lý Dynasty and founded the Trần Dynasty, Trần Thị Dung was downgraded to Princess Thiên Cực while her brother Trần Thừa
's son became Trần Thái Tông
, first emperor of the Trần Dynasty. Besides Lý Chiêu Hoàng, Trần Thị Dung had another daughter who eventually also became Empress of the Trần Dynasty, the Empress Thuận Thiên
.
The first husband of Trần Thị Dung, the former emperor Lý Huệ Tông, was killed in 1226 by order of Trần Thủ Độ, who afterwards married Trần Thị Dung, now Lady Linh Từ. During the troubled times of the Early Trần Dynasty with the revolt of Trần Liễu
, son-in-law of Trần Thị Dung, and the first Mongol invasion
of Đại Việt, she had a significant role in the reconciliation between Trần Thái Tông and his brother Trần Liễu, Lady Linh Từ also had many activities to help the royal family during the Mongol invasion. After her death in 1259, Trần Thị Dung was posthumously entitled as Mother of the Nation Lady Linh Từ (Linh Từ Quốc mẫu). Trần Thị Dung's complicated biography was a fine example for the complex period of the Late Lý and Early Trần Dynasty in History of Vietnam
.
) as daughter of Trần Lý, leader of Trần clan who made their great fortune by fishing, and younger sister of Trần Thừa
, the future first Retired Emperor of the Trần Dynasty.During the troubled time under the reign of Lý Cao Tông
, the Crown Prince Lý Sảm sought refuge in Trần Lý's family and decided to marry the beautiful Trần Thị Dung. Afterward, it was Trần clan who helped Lý Cao Tông and Lý Sảm restored the throne in Thăng Long
, therefore the Emperor appointed several members of Trần clan for high positions in royal court such as Tô Trung Từ who was uncle of Trần Thị Dung, or Trần Tự Khánh
who was Trần Thừa's younger brother. In 1211 the Crown Prince Lý Sảm was enthroned as Lý Huệ Tông after the death of Lý Cao Tông
, by then Trần clan's position began to rise in royal court.
In February 1211, Trần Thị Dung was entitled as Royal Consort (Vietnamese
: Nguyên phi) of the Lý Dynasty but was downgraded to palace maid (ngự nữ) one year after because the Emperor suspected the military action of general Trần Tự Khánh who was Trần Thị Dung's brother. After the successful pacification of two revolts by Trần Tự Khánh, the Emperor decided to make Trần Thị Dung as Lady Thuận Trinh (Thuận Trinh phu nhân) but she was still distrusted by the Empress Mother Đàm who tried to force Trần Thị Dung commit suicide several times. Surviving with the protection from Lý Huệ Tông, Lady Thuận Trinh gave birth for him the first child in June 1216 who later became Princess Thuận Thiên
, wife of Trần Thị Dung's nephew Trần Liễu
. Finally, Trần Thị Dung was entitled as Empress of the Lý Dynasty in December 1216 while his brothers Trần Thừa and Trần Tự Khánh were also appointed for the most important positions in royal court regarding both civil and military matters. In September 1218 Trần Thị Dung had a second daughter, Princess Chiêu Thánh
.
Being ill for a long time, Lý Huệ Tông ultimately decided to cede the throne to his youngest daughter, the Princess Chiêu Thánh, now the Empress Regnant Lý Chiêu Hoàng
in December 1224 and Trần Thị Dung thus became the Empress Mother of the Lý Dynasty. Chiêu Hoàng was only six at that time so every important decisions in royal court were made by Trần clan, profiting this circumstance, general of royal guard Trần Thủ Độ, who was Trần Thị Dung's cousin, arranged a marriage between Chiêu Hoàng and Trần Cảnh, the eight-year-old son of Trần Thừa and nephew of Trần Thị Dung. With Trần Cảnh being the Empress's husband, Trần Thủ Độ was finally able to overthrow the Lý Dynasty by making Lý Chiêu Hoàng pass the throne to Trần Cảnh, now Trần Thái Tông
, in 1225. After the coronation of Trần Cảnh, Lý Chiêu Hoàng was demoted to Empress Chiêu Thánh (Chiêu Thánh công chúa) and his mother to Princess Thiên Cực (Thiên Cực công chúa).
1226, he forced the former emperor Lý Huệ Tông, who had already gotten rid of power to become a monk, to commit suicide and married Trần Thị Dung, Huệ Tông's former empress and his own cousin. These actions of Trần Thủ Độ was criticized by Ngô Sĩ Liên
in his Đại Việt sử kí toàn thư as an inhumane decision despite his initial motive of reinforcing the reign of Trần Thái Tông.
According to Đại Việt sử kí toàn thư, Thái Tông and his wife the Empress Chiêu Thánh did not have their first son for a while, this situation in royal family made grand chancellor Trần Thủ Độ worried because he had profited the same circumstance of the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông to overthrow the Lý Dynasty. Therefore in 1236 Trần Thủ Độ decided to force Trần Liễu to give up his wife Princess Thuận Thiên for the Emperor when she had been already pregnant Trần Quốc Khang
for three months. After the royal marriage, Thuận Thiên was entitled the new empress of the Trần Dynasty while Chiêu Thánh was downgraded to princess. In the fury of losing his pregnant wife, Trần Liễu rose a revolt against the royal family, meanwhile Thái Tông felt awkward about the situation and decided to became a monk in Yên Tử Mountain. Finally Trần Thủ Độ successfully persuaded Thái Tông to return to the throne and Trần Liễu had to surrender after judging that he could not stand with his fragile force. All soldiers who participated in this revolt were killed, Trần Thủ Độ even wanted to behead Trần Liễu but was stopped by Thái Tông. After this chaotic event, Trần Thị Dung was praised for her important role in the reconciliation between Trần Thái Tông and his brother Trần Liễu. During the first Mongol invasion
of Đại Việt, Trần Thị Dung also helped the Emperor with governing the royal family.
Trần Thị Dung deceased in January 1259, she was entitled as Mother of the Nation Lady Linh Từ (Linh Từ Quốc mẫu) because Trần Thái Tông respected her former title as Empress of the Lý Dynasty so the Emperor still considered her equal to the position of Empress of the Trần Dynasty.
. Reflecting her role in the Lý and Trần Dynasty, the historian Ngô Sĩ Liên
wrote that Trần Thị Dung did had an active role in reinforcing the newly-found reign of the Trần Dynasty, especially with the matter of Trần Thái Tông-Trần Liễu clash and during the war of resistance of the Trần Dynasty against the Mongol invasion. However, being the last empress and the last empress mother of the Lý Dynasty, she contributed nothing to the ruling of the Lý Dynasty and even married Trần Thủ Độ, who forced her first husband Lý Huệ Tông commit suicide, a decision that was criticized in several historical books.
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
: Linh Từ Quốc mẫu, Hán tự: 靈慈國母) Trần Thị Dung (?–1259) was the last empress and the last empress mother of the Lý Dynasty
Lý Dynasty
The Lý Dynasty , sometimes known as the Later Lý Dynasty , was a Vietnamese dynasty that began in 1009 when Lý Thái Tổ overthrew the Prior Lê Dynasty and ended in 1225 when the queen Lý Chiêu Hoàng was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of her husband, Trần Cảnh. They ruled Vietnam for a...
. She was entitled by the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông as Empress Consort of the Lý Dynasty from 1216 to 1225 before becoming Empress Mother of the Lý Dynasty when her daughter Lý Phật Kim was enthroned as Lý Chiêu Hoàng
Lý Chiêu Hoàng
Lý Chiêu Hoàng was the eighth and last sovereign of the Lý Dynasty from 1224 to 1225 and the only empress regnant in the history of Vietnam. Chosen by the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông as his successor at the age of only six, Lý Chiêu Hoàng ruled the country under the total influence of Trần Thủ Độ and the...
in 1225. After Trần Thủ Độ, Trần Thị Dung's cousin, successfully overthrew the Lý Dynasty and founded the Trần Dynasty, Trần Thị Dung was downgraded to Princess Thiên Cực while her brother Trần Thừa
Trần Thừa
Trần Thừa was the head of the Trần clan and a high-ranking mandarin during the reign of Lý Huệ Tông and Lý Chiêu Hoàng. After the overthrow of the Lý Dynasty by Trần Thủ Độ, Trần Thừa's second son Trần Cảnh was enthroned as Trần Thái Tông, the first emperor of the Trần Dynasty...
's son became Trần Thái Tông
Trần Thái Tông
Trần Thái Tông, born name: Trần Cảnh , July 17, 1218-May 4, 1277) was the first emperor of the Trần Dynasty, seated on the throne for 33 years , being Grand Emperor for 19 years.-Biography:...
, first emperor of the Trần Dynasty. Besides Lý Chiêu Hoàng, Trần Thị Dung had another daughter who eventually also became Empress of the Trần Dynasty, the Empress Thuận Thiên
Thuận Thiên (empress)
Empress Thuận Thiên Empress Thuận Thiên Empress Thuận Thiên (Lý Ngọc Oanh (1216–1248) was the second empress of Trần Dynasty, she succeeded her younger sister Empress Chiêu Thánh in 1237 by an arrangement of Trần Thủ Độ in which Prince Hoài Trần Liễu was forced to give up his 3-month pregnant...
.
The first husband of Trần Thị Dung, the former emperor Lý Huệ Tông, was killed in 1226 by order of Trần Thủ Độ, who afterwards married Trần Thị Dung, now Lady Linh Từ. During the troubled times of the Early Trần Dynasty with the revolt of Trần Liễu
Trần Liễu
Prince Yên Sinh Trần Liễu was the elder brother of the Trần Thái Tông, the first emperor of Trần Dynasty. Initially, Trần Liễu was honoured by his younger brother with the title King Hiển but he was downgraded to Prince Yên Sinh after the short-lived revolt in fury of losing his pregnant wife,...
, son-in-law of Trần Thị Dung, and the first Mongol invasion
Mongol invasions of Vietnam
Mongol invasions of Vietnam or Mongol-Vietnamese War refer to the three times that the Mongol Empire and its chief khanate the Yuan Dynasty invaded Đại Việt during the Trần Dynasty and the Kingdom of Champa: in 1257–1258, 1284–1285, and 1287–1288. The Mongols were defeated by Đại...
of Đại Việt, she had a significant role in the reconciliation between Trần Thái Tông and his brother Trần Liễu, Lady Linh Từ also had many activities to help the royal family during the Mongol invasion. After her death in 1259, Trần Thị Dung was posthumously entitled as Mother of the Nation Lady Linh Từ (Linh Từ Quốc mẫu). Trần Thị Dung's complicated biography was a fine example for the complex period of the Late Lý and Early Trần Dynasty in History of Vietnam
History of Vietnam
The history of Vietnam covers a period of more than 2,700 years. By far Vietnam's most important historical international relationship has been with China. Vietnam's prehistory includes a legend about a kingdom known as Van Lang that included what is now China's Guangxi Autonomous Region and...
.
Lý Dynasty period
Trần Thị Dung was born in Lưu Gia village (now Hưng Hà, Thái BìnhThai Binh
Thái Bình is a city in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. It is the capital of Thai Binh province. It is located 110 km from Hanoi. The city area is 67.7 square km, with a population of 210,000 people . Before the prime minister declared it a city in June of 2004, it was officially a town....
) as daughter of Trần Lý, leader of Trần clan who made their great fortune by fishing, and younger sister of Trần Thừa
Trần Thừa
Trần Thừa was the head of the Trần clan and a high-ranking mandarin during the reign of Lý Huệ Tông and Lý Chiêu Hoàng. After the overthrow of the Lý Dynasty by Trần Thủ Độ, Trần Thừa's second son Trần Cảnh was enthroned as Trần Thái Tông, the first emperor of the Trần Dynasty...
, the future first Retired Emperor of the Trần Dynasty.During the troubled time under the reign of Lý Cao Tông
Lý Cao Tông
Lý Cao Tông , born Lý Long Trát or Lý Long Cán, was the seventh king of the Lý dynasty, ruling for 35 years. Some consider his reign being the beginning of the falling into decay of the Lý Dynasty because of erroneous determinations made by him...
, the Crown Prince Lý Sảm sought refuge in Trần Lý's family and decided to marry the beautiful Trần Thị Dung. Afterward, it was Trần clan who helped Lý Cao Tông and Lý Sảm restored the throne in Thăng Long
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, therefore the Emperor appointed several members of Trần clan for high positions in royal court such as Tô Trung Từ who was uncle of Trần Thị Dung, or Trần Tự Khánh
Trần Tự Khánh
Marquis Chương Thành Trần Tự Khánh was a general of the Lý Dynasty during the reigns of Lý Cao Tông and Lý Huệ Tông. He was son of Trần Lý, head of the Trần clan, and brother of Trần Thừa and Trần Thị Dung who married to Lý Huệ Tông...
who was Trần Thừa's younger brother. In 1211 the Crown Prince Lý Sảm was enthroned as Lý Huệ Tông after the death of Lý Cao Tông
Lý Cao Tông
Lý Cao Tông , born Lý Long Trát or Lý Long Cán, was the seventh king of the Lý dynasty, ruling for 35 years. Some consider his reign being the beginning of the falling into decay of the Lý Dynasty because of erroneous determinations made by him...
, by then Trần clan's position began to rise in royal court.
In February 1211, Trần Thị Dung was entitled as Royal Consort (Vietnamese
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
: Nguyên phi) of the Lý Dynasty but was downgraded to palace maid (ngự nữ) one year after because the Emperor suspected the military action of general Trần Tự Khánh who was Trần Thị Dung's brother. After the successful pacification of two revolts by Trần Tự Khánh, the Emperor decided to make Trần Thị Dung as Lady Thuận Trinh (Thuận Trinh phu nhân) but she was still distrusted by the Empress Mother Đàm who tried to force Trần Thị Dung commit suicide several times. Surviving with the protection from Lý Huệ Tông, Lady Thuận Trinh gave birth for him the first child in June 1216 who later became Princess Thuận Thiên
Thuận Thiên (empress)
Empress Thuận Thiên Empress Thuận Thiên Empress Thuận Thiên (Lý Ngọc Oanh (1216–1248) was the second empress of Trần Dynasty, she succeeded her younger sister Empress Chiêu Thánh in 1237 by an arrangement of Trần Thủ Độ in which Prince Hoài Trần Liễu was forced to give up his 3-month pregnant...
, wife of Trần Thị Dung's nephew Trần Liễu
Trần Liễu
Prince Yên Sinh Trần Liễu was the elder brother of the Trần Thái Tông, the first emperor of Trần Dynasty. Initially, Trần Liễu was honoured by his younger brother with the title King Hiển but he was downgraded to Prince Yên Sinh after the short-lived revolt in fury of losing his pregnant wife,...
. Finally, Trần Thị Dung was entitled as Empress of the Lý Dynasty in December 1216 while his brothers Trần Thừa and Trần Tự Khánh were also appointed for the most important positions in royal court regarding both civil and military matters. In September 1218 Trần Thị Dung had a second daughter, Princess Chiêu Thánh
Lý Chiêu Hoàng
Lý Chiêu Hoàng was the eighth and last sovereign of the Lý Dynasty from 1224 to 1225 and the only empress regnant in the history of Vietnam. Chosen by the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông as his successor at the age of only six, Lý Chiêu Hoàng ruled the country under the total influence of Trần Thủ Độ and the...
.
Being ill for a long time, Lý Huệ Tông ultimately decided to cede the throne to his youngest daughter, the Princess Chiêu Thánh, now the Empress Regnant Lý Chiêu Hoàng
Lý Chiêu Hoàng
Lý Chiêu Hoàng was the eighth and last sovereign of the Lý Dynasty from 1224 to 1225 and the only empress regnant in the history of Vietnam. Chosen by the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông as his successor at the age of only six, Lý Chiêu Hoàng ruled the country under the total influence of Trần Thủ Độ and the...
in December 1224 and Trần Thị Dung thus became the Empress Mother of the Lý Dynasty. Chiêu Hoàng was only six at that time so every important decisions in royal court were made by Trần clan, profiting this circumstance, general of royal guard Trần Thủ Độ, who was Trần Thị Dung's cousin, arranged a marriage between Chiêu Hoàng and Trần Cảnh, the eight-year-old son of Trần Thừa and nephew of Trần Thị Dung. With Trần Cảnh being the Empress's husband, Trần Thủ Độ was finally able to overthrow the Lý Dynasty by making Lý Chiêu Hoàng pass the throne to Trần Cảnh, now Trần Thái Tông
Trần Thái Tông
Trần Thái Tông, born name: Trần Cảnh , July 17, 1218-May 4, 1277) was the first emperor of the Trần Dynasty, seated on the throne for 33 years , being Grand Emperor for 19 years.-Biography:...
, in 1225. After the coronation of Trần Cảnh, Lý Chiêu Hoàng was demoted to Empress Chiêu Thánh (Chiêu Thánh công chúa) and his mother to Princess Thiên Cực (Thiên Cực công chúa).
Trần Dynasty period
After the collapse of the Lý Dynasty, Trần Thủ Độ was still afraid that newly-found ruling of the Trần Dynasty might be taken over by its political opponents, therefore he continued to eliminate member of Lý royal family by his ruthless method. On October 8 of Lunar calendarLunar calendar
A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. A common purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar. A feature of the Islamic calendar is that a year is always 12 months, so the months are not linked with the seasons and drift each solar year by 11 to...
1226, he forced the former emperor Lý Huệ Tông, who had already gotten rid of power to become a monk, to commit suicide and married Trần Thị Dung, Huệ Tông's former empress and his own cousin. These actions of Trần Thủ Độ was criticized by Ngô Sĩ Liên
Ngô Sĩ Liên
Ngô Sĩ Liên was an historian of the Lê Dynasty. He is best known for being the principal compiler of the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, a comprehensive chronicle of the history of Vietnam and the oldest official historical record of a Vietnamese dynasty that remains today...
in his Đại Việt sử kí toàn thư as an inhumane decision despite his initial motive of reinforcing the reign of Trần Thái Tông.
According to Đại Việt sử kí toàn thư, Thái Tông and his wife the Empress Chiêu Thánh did not have their first son for a while, this situation in royal family made grand chancellor Trần Thủ Độ worried because he had profited the same circumstance of the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông to overthrow the Lý Dynasty. Therefore in 1236 Trần Thủ Độ decided to force Trần Liễu to give up his wife Princess Thuận Thiên for the Emperor when she had been already pregnant Trần Quốc Khang
Trần Quốc Khang
Prince Tĩnh Quốc Trần Quốc Khang was the first prince of the Emperor Trần Thái Tông, the eldest brother of Trần Thánh Tông and princes Trần Quang Khải, Trần Ích Tắc and Trần Nhật Duật...
for three months. After the royal marriage, Thuận Thiên was entitled the new empress of the Trần Dynasty while Chiêu Thánh was downgraded to princess. In the fury of losing his pregnant wife, Trần Liễu rose a revolt against the royal family, meanwhile Thái Tông felt awkward about the situation and decided to became a monk in Yên Tử Mountain. Finally Trần Thủ Độ successfully persuaded Thái Tông to return to the throne and Trần Liễu had to surrender after judging that he could not stand with his fragile force. All soldiers who participated in this revolt were killed, Trần Thủ Độ even wanted to behead Trần Liễu but was stopped by Thái Tông. After this chaotic event, Trần Thị Dung was praised for her important role in the reconciliation between Trần Thái Tông and his brother Trần Liễu. During the first Mongol invasion
Mongol invasions of Vietnam
Mongol invasions of Vietnam or Mongol-Vietnamese War refer to the three times that the Mongol Empire and its chief khanate the Yuan Dynasty invaded Đại Việt during the Trần Dynasty and the Kingdom of Champa: in 1257–1258, 1284–1285, and 1287–1288. The Mongols were defeated by Đại...
of Đại Việt, Trần Thị Dung also helped the Emperor with governing the royal family.
Trần Thị Dung deceased in January 1259, she was entitled as Mother of the Nation Lady Linh Từ (Linh Từ Quốc mẫu) because Trần Thái Tông respected her former title as Empress of the Lý Dynasty so the Emperor still considered her equal to the position of Empress of the Trần Dynasty.
Legacy
Trần Thị Dung's complicated biography was a fine example for the complex period of the Late Lý and Early Trần Dynasty in History of VietnamHistory of Vietnam
The history of Vietnam covers a period of more than 2,700 years. By far Vietnam's most important historical international relationship has been with China. Vietnam's prehistory includes a legend about a kingdom known as Van Lang that included what is now China's Guangxi Autonomous Region and...
. Reflecting her role in the Lý and Trần Dynasty, the historian Ngô Sĩ Liên
Ngô Sĩ Liên
Ngô Sĩ Liên was an historian of the Lê Dynasty. He is best known for being the principal compiler of the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, a comprehensive chronicle of the history of Vietnam and the oldest official historical record of a Vietnamese dynasty that remains today...
wrote that Trần Thị Dung did had an active role in reinforcing the newly-found reign of the Trần Dynasty, especially with the matter of Trần Thái Tông-Trần Liễu clash and during the war of resistance of the Trần Dynasty against the Mongol invasion. However, being the last empress and the last empress mother of the Lý Dynasty, she contributed nothing to the ruling of the Lý Dynasty and even married Trần Thủ Độ, who forced her first husband Lý Huệ Tông commit suicide, a decision that was criticized in several historical books.